New 2013 Maruti Suzuki WagonR Stingray Indian launch imminent

There has been a deluge of spy pictures of the WagonR Stingray (unfortunately we don't have any) on the internet. Some say it will be a limited-edition model and that it will be available in the festive season. However, we beg to differ. While Maruti is yet to comment on the Stingray or about its official launch date, dealers are happily telling prospective customers that the WagonR Stingray launch is imminent.

Some, in a bid to ensure customers don't go over to rival camps, even say that the WagonR Stingray will come with a diesel engine and - most notably - not the ubiquitous Fiat Multijet, but a new 800cc unit. We can now lay rest to these rumours.

It will be positioned above the current WagonR, much like the Grand-i10, Indica-Vista and Micra- Active.

The WagonR Stingray, for starters, isn't a limited-edition variant or sticker job. The fact that dealers are being trained to sell this new vehicle is proof that it is a substantially different vehicle. Second, as appears to be the fashion these days, the Stingray will not replace the existing WagonR - which is is now being sold at a discount of Rs 30,000.

It will be positioned above the current WagonR, much like the Grand-i10, Indica-Vista and Micra- Active. There will be three variants on offer, Lxi, Vxi and Vxi (o).

The Vxi (o) gets projector headlamps, fog lamps, alloy wheels, a new music system, ABS and a driver airbag. On all variants, the Stingray will have a chrome grille with different headlamps than on the current or soon-to-be old WagonR model. There will be graphics, even for the base Lxi trim. The tail lamps will also be slightly altered.